1908 Fiat S6 Corsa Headlines “Auto e Moto d’Epoca” In Italy

The 35th edition of “Auto e Moto d’Epoca” will be held at Fiera di Padova in Padua, Italy, from October 25 to 28. It is the most important event in Europe for vintage car and motorcycle enthusiasts counting over 5000 cars for sale and bring together more than 1600 exhibitors.

FCA Heritage will be one of the leaders of the event. The department of the Group in charge of protecting and promoting the history of Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia and Abarth will be presenting a selection of classic cars picked from its collection on a refreshed stand, namely a 1908 Fiat S 61 Corsa, a 1967 Fiat 124 Sport Spider, a 1981 Pininfarina Spidereuropa, a 1988 Lancia Delta HF Integrale Gr. A “Safari” and a 1988 Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo Evoluzione IMSA. Guest of honour will be the 1955 Giulietta Sprint owner by rocker Piero Pelù, that was carefully restored and has just received a “Certification of Authenticity” from the new service offered by Alfa Romeo Classiche. Last May, the Italian rocker took part in the Mille Miglia with his Giulietta Sprint in the official Alfa Romeo contingent.

A fascinating contemporary special edition – the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio NRING (2018) – will be on show alongside these timeless masterpieces. The car is the ambassador of the new “Instant Classic” project, created to protect the cars of excellence which, by virtue of their inherent features, are a sure investment for genuine motor enthusiasts. The event in Padua will also provide an all-encompassing view of the many activities of FCA Heritage, such as the innovative “Reloaded by Creators” programme and the new Certification of Authenticity and Restoration services dedicated to classic Alfa Romeo cars.

From the very beginning, the Italian brands of the FCA Group have written some of the most exciting pages in international motor racing history, winning on tracks, roads and dirt trails of the most competitive rallies. To commemorate this extraordinary past of triumphs collected worldwide, FCA Heritage picked three significant cars – a 1908 Fiat S 61 Corsa, a 1988 Lancia Delta HF Integrale Gr. A “Safari” and a 1988 Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo Evoluzione IMSA – which express the highest levels of motorsports from the first decade of the twentieth century to the late 1980s.
More in detail, the 1988 Lancia Delta HF Integrale Gr. “Safari” and 1988 Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo Evoluzione IMSA celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of two important sporting achievements, namely the victories in the Safari Rally and the “Giro d’Italia Automobilistico” of 1988, both scored by Miki Biasion in team with Tiziano Siviero and – in the Giro d’Italia – also by Riccardo Patrese. After all, anyone admiring these classic race cars that created the Italian racing legend can easily appreciate how, over the years, the tough testing ground of racing has shaped the priceless heritage of style and performance of the cars of today.

The central area of the stand will be a tribute to the 110th anniversary of the glorious 1908 Fiat S 61 Corsa, which was painstakingly restored by the FCA Heritage team of specialists. The car is now the coveted star of the department and now proudly dominates the homepage of the official website. The S 61 Corsa is the racing version, prepared for the North American market, of the Gran Turismo of the same name built by Fiat. Only five were made and successfully used in America for racing by the Fiat Racing Team. This model is one of the earliest race cars and is considered forerunner of today’s Formula 1 cars. Equipped with a lighter frame and a 10-litre four-cylinder engine with overhead valves, the car competed in many races in the US between 1908 and 1912 clinching illustrious wins. They included the first and third place at the American Grand Prix in Savannah, Georgia in 1908, the third place at the Indianapolis 500 in 1911, the victory on the Santa Monica circuit in 1912 and the American Grand Prix in Milwaukee the same year.

Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo Evoluzione (1988):

For the 75th anniversary of its establishment, in 1985, Alfa Romeo presented the 75, a compact sporty saloon that replaced the New Giulietta (1977-1984) and expanded the engine line-up. The car had a very personal and distinctive design and incorporated two major innovations, namely the two-litre Twin Spark engine and the debut of a turbo engine (1779 cc, 155 HP, 215 km/h), which was the first to adopt an advanced electric supercharging control system. In 1988 an Evoluzione version of the 75 Turbo was developed according to IMSA (International Motor Sports Association) specifications and went on to win two editions of the Giro Automobilistico d’Italia, in 1988 and 1989. In this configuration, the 75 delivered a power of 335 HP in 1988 and 400 HP the following year. It was also distinguished by a wide-track body and sophisticated aerodynamics, with a striking rear spoiler in carbon fibre. The Giro d’Italia was a one-of-a-kind competition that included speed trials on roads closed to traffic, rally trials and speed trials on race tracks. For both editions, Alfa Corse lined up three cars, which finished in the first three places of the ranking, leaving the opponents little more than crumbs.

Lancia Delta HF Integrale Gr. A “Safari” (1988):

Of the models made by Lancia in over one hundred years of honourable history, the Delta needs no introduction. It was an authentic best-seller from 1979 and 1993 and wrote some of the most glorious pages in rally racing history, winning the Constructors’ World Championship title six times in a row (from 1987 to 1992). The Safari Rally holds a special place in the countless successes of the Delta in races. This important competition, known as “The Safari” for short, was first organised in 1953 as the East African Coronation Safari to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and soon made a name for itself as one of the most gruelling races for vehicles and crews across the savannah with the need to deal with the contingencies that the conditions threw. It took Lancia no fewer than ten failed attempts to win the arduous African race. Finally, in 1988, the car on show – driven by Miki Biasion – won, but not without issues, like a close encounter with a zebra which left a dent on its right side. The important result was repeated the following year and again in 1991.

Alfa Romeo “Instant Classic” and the new Certification and Restoration services

“Auto e Moto d’Epoca 2018” will be the occasion to announce the official launch of two new Alfa Romeo Classiche services that will complement the Certificate of Origin scheme that has been offered for Alfa Romeo cars from 2016. From today, owners can apply for a Certificate of Authenticity from Officine Classiche or directly from home. Restoration is performed by an FCA Heritage team of technical experts who, by accessing the original archives, are able to give new life to the vintage cars and hand them back to their owners in splendid conditions. One of the first classic Alfa Romeo cars to receive a new Certificate of Authenticity was the 1955 Giulietta Sprint owned by Piero Pelù, the famous rocker and frontman of the Litfiba since 1980.
FCA Heritage also offers “Instant Classic” certification for contemporary cars destined to become coveted collectables and that today are a sure investment for motor enthusiasts. This is why the owners of select Alfa Romeo models – such as the Nürburgring special limited edition Stelvio Quadrifoglio “NRING” and Giulia Quadrifoglio “NRING”, and those of the 4C Coupé Competizione and the 4C Spider Italia – are given a kit, issued by FCA Heritage, which includes an “Instant Classic” certificate, a plaque with the number plate of the car, a photo book and a detailed technical data sheet of the car highlighting its collectible value.
Representing these contemporary masterpieces will be an Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio NRING on display in Padua. Produced in a limited number (only 108 units), the special series celebrates the record set on the Nürburgring Nordschleife by Stelvio Quadrifoglio in 2017 (7 minutes, 51 seconds and 7 tenths). The special Nürburgring Edition series of Stelvio and Giulia Quadrifoglio are beyond the top of the range and showcase the excellence of Alfa Romeo, of which only 216 units were made in total, just 108 for each model. It is no surprise that the “NRING” cars feature a number of exclusive contents, like numbered badge, carbon fibre dashboard insert and the original Circuito Grey livery. Owners of these cars, qualified as “Instant Classics”, will be invite to enjoy a privileged Alfa Romeo sports driving experience at the Nürburgring and will be given a special welcome kit and the exclusive certificate issued by FCA Heritage.

The “Reloaded by Creators” programme and two classic Fiat 124 spiders for sale

The “Reloaded by Creators” programme, launched last February, started an exciting, new phase for FCA Heritage, which is now putting up a small number of select cars for sale restored to their former glory directly by the manufacturer, i.e. their “creator” (hence the name of the service). The commitment is to give a new lease of life to classic cars and hand them back their owners with an official certificate of authenticity. The sums raised will then be used to finance new scouting activities to add important new pieces to FCA collection. For the show in Padua, FCA Heritage has chosen to pay homage to the iconic Fiat 124 spider by putting two up for sale. The cars belong to the first and last series of the spider that enjoyed double fortunes, in Europe and in North America, namely a 1967 Fiat 124 Sport Spider and a 1982 Pininfarina Spidereuropa, respectively.

Fiat 124 Sport Spider (1967):

Designed by Tom Tjaarda for Pininfarina, the 124 Sport Spider was presented at the Turin Motor Show in 1966, the year of the debut of the Alfa Romeo Spider “Duetto”. Derived from the Fiat 124 saloon, it stood out for its sporting characteristics: fast 1438 cc four-cylinder engine, double overhead cam, V valve arrangement, and the double-barrel vertical carburettor. The car fitted a standard five-speed gearbox, radial tyres, two-spoke racing steering wheel and premium interiors, with ergonomic seats, wooden trim and plenty of instruments. Its elegant style, power engine, stability and safety (with four disc brakes, vacuum brake servo and Panhard bar transverse link) ensured a good commercial success from the go, with 25,000 units of the first series built. The Fiat 124 Sport Spider for sale was one of the first to roll off the line and was recently acquired by FCA Heritage as part of the “Reloaded by Creators” programme. It underwent careful restoration. The interiors (carpets, door panels and seats) were re-upholstered to original specifications, the soft roof was cleaned and the Vinylite rear window was buffed. The mechanics were overhauled and the body was waxed. Tyres, rims and hub caps were replaced.

Pininfarina Spidereuropa (1982):

The 124 Sport Spider was one of the longest-lived Fiat cars of the last century. Styled by Pininfarina in 1966, it enjoyed a dual career of unflagging success in Europe and America until 1985. Twenty years in which the curvy, compact Spider, was modified in response to the mechanical upgrading of various Fiat models, remaining in production for the States alone from 1975 onwards. In 1982, its ceaseless success and demand from the European market led Pininfarina to reintroduce the car on this side of the Atlantic. It was appropriately reworked and called the “Spidereuropa” to distinguish it from the version for the US market. The Pininfarina Spidereuropa was powered by a two-litre four-cylinder engine which developed 105 hp and was equipped with injection and electronic ignition. Being particularly light (it weighed just over 1000 kilograms), the agile two-seater spider easily exceeded a top speed of 180 km/h.

The body, mechanics and interiors of the car on show were carefully restored. Certified by the FCA Heritage team of experts, it is being put up for sale as part of the “Reloaded by Creators” programme.